


The Fishing Lesson

by CatOfLello



Series: Witcher Writing Prompts [8]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Explosives, Fishing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 01:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14033475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatOfLello/pseuds/CatOfLello
Summary: Lambert teaches Aleks' to fish like a Witcher





	The Fishing Lesson

‘Get up, Sunshine’ a sneering voice shook her from her deep sleep. The sky to the east was painted in light purples and pinks and the stars had gone out. Aleks grumbled with her eyes still shut and pulled her blanket over her face. She still felt the gnawing exhaustion chewing at her muscles from the last week of riding.

‘Get up,’ the voice said again, shortly. ‘Come on, get up your royal highness. Time for fishing.’ the toe of his boot nudged at her arm causing her to roll a little.

‘Leave me to sleep, you jackass’ growled Aleks, the rough woollen blanket muffling her voice.

‘Daylight is a-wasting, kiddo. Get up,’ A long pause. Aleks lay still hoping if she didn’t move he would lose interest in his query much like a bear. ‘Don’t make me start counting.’

Aleks sighed heavily ‘I’m twenty-four! I’m not a child anymore!’ she whined, her voice cracking with last word.

‘One,’   
‘Are you fucking kidding me?’  
‘Two,’   
‘Lambert fuck off!’  
‘Three!’  
‘You fuck-,’ His hands tore the warmth of her blanket from her body. As the cold air prickled her skin, her words caught in her throat and her body froze, her eyes shot wide open in an unblinking stare. Lambert began laughing and tossed her blanket opposite of the dying embers of the small fire. His lips curled back into a mocking smile ‘You look like a scared possum!’. Aleks gave him a sideways look then tried in vain to warm herself by pulling her knees to her chest then groaned. Reluctantly, she rolled onto her back, giving up. ‘What’s so important that you had to wake me up at this ungodly hour? I thought we were going to stay here and wait for Aiden.’ the young witcheress sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

‘We are going to stay here-’

‘Then what the hell did you wake me up for?’ she cut him off. The last four days of the week-long trip had been a true test of her patience. She loved her uncle dearly but he had a way of burrowing under even the thickest skin and worst yet he seemed to do it just to amuse himself. Aleks wondered on more than one occasion how Aiden put up with his antics on the long summers they spent on the path together. Then again he wasn’t much better at times.

‘Well excuse me, my lady, I just wanted to take her majesty fishing and maybe teach her a trick or two,’ he shrugged ‘You know because I’m a good uncle and all.’

Aleks propped herself up on one elbow and raised an eyebrow. ‘You want to teach some me fishing tricks? You do know where Aiden found me right?’

‘In some small fishing village in Cidaris, yeah, yeah I know,’ he waved his hand dismissively ‘Get your shit. We’re going fishing.’

‘We don’t even have rods or hooks. How do you suppose we should catch them? Oh, I know! We’ll just hit them with axii and just ask them to flop onto land!’

‘That-that doesn't work.’ stammered Lambert.

‘Wait-what?’

‘I’ve tried it, it doesn't work.’

Aleks stared blankly at Lambert with disbelief. She shut her eyes and sighed and ran her hand over her face with a quick movement.

‘There ya go, wipe that frown right off. Let’s go already,’ Lambert turned on his heel then picked up a small burlap sack laying next to his bedroll and slung it over his shoulder. Aleks got to her feet slowly, every muscle in her legs cried out in protest. He was already heading out of camp in the direction of the small lake that lay about a mile upstream of the river. She hobbled after him as quickly as she could on stiff legs.

***********

 

Sparrows and songbirds sang as the sun began to slowly wake from its long night of slumber beneath the horizon. The two witchers stood at the edge of a small placid lake framed by dense lush trees and bushes bursting with berries. A mischievous grin crossed Lambert`s face as he held open the burlap sack to Aleks. She peered inside and removed a small round ball with a fuse, her eyes gleamed as she turned the bomb over in her hands.

‘You look like you`ve never seen a bomb before’ remarked Lambert. ‘Grab a couple, light em’ then toss em’. Let’s have some fun,’ he smacked her on her shoulder before lighting his fuse and hurling the small bomb into the pristine water. The songbirds ceased their morning song, fluttering away. A huge stream of water was forced straight up into the air, sending droplets scattering across the water's surface with a hiss. The witcheress was now smiling but it faded quickly as she watched the water. She looked at him ‘Now what?’

Lambert pointed at the water with one finger, she turned her head slowly as dead fish began to float to the surface. ‘You’re right, that is a neat trick’ she said, amused. Her stomach tightened into a ball, they hadn’t had much more than hard bread and dried meat to eat for days. Roasted fish seemed like a royal feast in comparison. Quickly she lit the fuse of the bomb she was holding then lobbed it out into the water. Again, a magnificent boom followed by a water shower shattered the once peaceful lake. More fish began floating to the surface.

‘So, how are we supposed to get the fish out? Did you bring a net or-’

‘Like this!’ Strong arms swept her off her feet and suddenly she was being carried towards the water in quick lumbering strides. All she saw before disappearing below the water's surface was a shock of tawny coloured hair and a big smile. Aleks surfaced gasping for breath, pushed back her wet curls and wiped her face with her hands. Aiden and Lambert were both bent over howling with laughter. She scowled at the pair then swept her arm, slashing them with water repeatedly. ‘Pricks’ she yelled at them. The tawny-haired witcher stood and wiped his eyes. ‘I missed you, my girl’ Aiden said as he struggled to stifle his laughter.

‘Well seeing as you’re already there,’ Lambert tossed her the empty sack. 'would you mind grabbing breakfast?'

'You two are unbelievable' Aleks grumbled, shaking her head and swam off towards their catch.


End file.
